Chapter 748: Episode 748

Anna arrived at the meeting place.

It was far from an open expanse, resembling a narrow mountain ravine. The secluded terrain was perfect for hiding, making it an ideal spot for a secret rendezvous.

Waiting for Richard, Anna tidied her appearance. She smoothed her hair and pressed out the wrinkles in her clothes.

She couldn’t help but feel self-conscious. Her heart pounded, threatening to burst from the fluttering anticipation.

’I shouldn’t be like this. I definitely shouldn’t be harboring these kinds of feelings.’

What she was doing would draw fierce condemnation. She might even go down in history as the worst Saintess the Holy Federation had ever seen.

Nevertheless, when Richard first sent a letter proposing they destroy the sealed document, she had been overjoyed. He, too, was skeptical of the war, seeking to stop it rather than win it. The fact that he shared her convictions—and above all, that he had chosen her as his accomplice—made Anna’s heart swell.

"Oh."

The crunch of footsteps echoed from afar, signaling someone’s approach. Suppressing the urge to run to him that very second, Anna placed a hand over her chest and took a deep breath. Soon, a figure emerged from the shadows. It was a young man with blue hair, a neatly trimmed beard, and a playful, crooked smile.

"Richard," she breathed, the mere resonance of his name tasting sweet on her tongue. Anna smiled, holding down her hair as it fluttered in the wind.

Approaching her, Richard scratched the back of his head and offered a sheepish smile. The two were finally reunited.

"I’m glad to see you again," he said.

"I-I am, too."

Her face flushed a helpless red, and she fidgeted with her hands out of habit. She looked like nothing more than a girl in love. But this was no time for such things. Millions of lives were at stake.

Anna composed her expression and asked in a serious tone, "Are you truly planning to destroy the sealed document?"

"I am." Richard closed his eyes. "If that document falls into the hands of either faction, a terrible catastrophe will follow. I can no longer stand by and watch unnecessary lives be lost."

"I feel the same way," she agreed softly.

It was a war that would never end unless one side was completely annihilated. They had to stop the bloodshed and restore peace. Anna caught her breath.

"I’ll help in any way I can."

"Thank you. I’ve secured the document, so let’s head this way first..." Richard extended his arm, and Anna nodded, stepping up beside him.

The two walked slowly down the path, taking in the cool mountain breeze.

"Um..."

"Yes?"

"I thought about it a lot on my way here," she murmured.

Her heart pounded in her chest. ’Honestly, I wanted to say this from the beginning.’ She was afraid that if she waited any longer, they would achieve their goal and part ways before she ever found the courage to speak.

"You showed me that this world is much more beautiful... and worth protecting."

Speaking in a quiet, gentle voice, Anna squeezed her eyes shut, mustering her resolve.

"S-So, I also—!"

A sickening squelch tore through the air.

The enchanting, rosy illusion of a flower garden crumbled away, replaced instantly by the blood-stained ruins of death. Anna staggered, stopping dead in her tracks. Trembling, she slowly lowered her gaze. A stranger’s hand protruded from the center of her chest.

It was drenched in her own blood. The sound of her beating heart vanished. Her pupils shook, and the strength drained from her body in an instant.

"I had my suspicions, but..."

The voice coming from behind her was cold and gloomy.

"The Council of Elders’ eccentric delusion was actually right."

Richard wrenched his arm free. Anna crumpled to the ground. A massive hole had been punched straight through her chest.

"Despair at this fleeting reality, and die," he spat.

Richard turned his back and began to walk away. Just then, a spark ignited in Anna’s eyes. Squeezing out every last drop of her remaining strength, she conjured her divine magic.

With a blinding flash, multiple layers of radiant white rings erupted from her body. Richard urgently threw up both arms to deploy a defensive spell. The barrier shattered in a single blow, sending him tumbling across the ground as he coughed up blood.

Anna panted heavily, clutching her ruined chest. The highest-tier divine magic continuously unfolded from her trembling hands.

’Aureola.’

’Restore.’

’Divine Protect.’

Several layers of high-tier recovery magic knitted her ruined heart back together and restored her shattered organs. Seeing this, Richard laughed in disbelief.

"To think you’re still alive with your heart pierced," he scoffed. "You’re a monster, not a human. I truly don’t know which of us is closer to being an undead anymore."

Caught off guard by Anna’s counterattack, Richard was bleeding heavily, having taken a severe hit. Anna cried out, her voice sharp and accusing.

"You! You aren’t Yona."

"Correct," the man replied.

With a low hum, Richard’s disguise melted away, revealing a middle-aged man with unfamiliar, rugged features. It was Tragon, the Commander of the Dresden Southern Front. Having begun his career in the Kizen Headquarters Intelligence Department, he was an absolute master of transformation magic.

"How amusing," Tragon sneered. "You should have been suspicious by now. Were you so blinded by emotion that the very concept of doubt was wiped from your mind, Miracle Saintess?"

Anna’s complexion was deathly pale. She continued pouring divine magic into her wound, but her condition showed no signs of improving.

"The moment I pierced your chest, I injected the Alliance’s highest-tier curses and deadly poisons. It’s a marvel you haven’t died instantly. It seems your title of ’Miracle’ is well-earned after all."

Anna glared at him, forcing her blurring vision to focus.

"Even in this condition, I can still defeat you," she rasped.

"Oh, I’m sure you could."

Tragon raised his arm, giving a silent signal. The heavy thud of marching boots echoed from all directions as countless troops sprang from hiding. Below the hills, atop the gorge, and across the valley—forces of the Dark Alliance poured out in endless waves.

It wasn’t just Tragon’s Dresden Southern Front. The Northern and Western forces were there, alongside the troops of Kalos, Shahed, and Baldwin. The entire military might of the Dark Alliance had converged on this single valley.

"Did you really think I wouldn’t make preparations before attempting to crush the famous ’Miracle’?" Tragon mocked.

Anna grunted, thrusting her right arm toward Tragon, and the commander swiftly lowered his hand.

"Fire," he commanded.

A deafening roar tore through the air as dark magic flew in from all sides. Like a painter’s palette dropped into a clear blue sky, mixing a dizzying array of chaotic colors, thousands of dark spells rushed toward Anna with the sole purpose of obliterating her. It was a massive bombardment capable of altering the very terrain.

Tragon stepped back to observe, eventually raising his arm to signal a halt. As the bombardment ceased and the thick smoke cleared, a pure white shield revealed itself.

"I can hardly believe my own eyes," Tragon muttered.

’Heaven’s Gate.’

Anna stood perfectly fine. A pristine white barrier enveloped her. She had effortlessly blocked the combined assault of thousands of necromancers all by herself.

Tragon closed his eyes and let out a weary sigh. "It’s no wonder we couldn’t push the front lines forward with someone like her holding the fort."

Then, his eyes snapped open, gleaming with malice. "But even that ends today. We will crush this ’Miracle’ and claim the sealed document! After that, we will erase every last speck of the Goddess and her faith from this continent!"

A sudden, violent gust of wind cut Tragon’s words short. A black cloak fluttered as a figure landed beside him. Tragon curled the corners of his lips.

"You’ve arrived, Yona."

The cloaked man had plunged from the blue sky like a meteor. Beneath his dark mantle, he was clad in Pier’s formidable bone armor. As his wildly fluttering collar settled, the man opened his eyes.

’SCREEEEEEEECH!’

’ROOOOOOOOOAR!’

The horrifying cries of the dead echoed through the valley. The Alliance army, which had been tightening its encirclement, recoiled in shock. From the ground, the sky, and the cliffs, the Legion’s undead burst forth. They swarmed the surroundings, their numbers eclipsing even the massive Alliance army.

"Yona’s 7th Legion is here!"

"We’ve won! It’s a complete victory!"

Deafening cheers erupted from the ranks. The fame and infamy of the 7th Legion surpassed that of any other. They were the symbol of destruction—an unstoppable force that knew no defeat. Their presence was the most surefire guarantee of victory the Dark Alliance possessed.

"Yona! Yona! Yona! Yona!"

Mingled with the cries of the dead, the soldiers’ thunderous chanting echoed through the valley. Richard pushed up Pier’s helmet with his fingertips, revealing his face.

"Richard," Anna breathed.

Still maintaining her defensive barrier, she looked at him with trembling eyes. Richard met her gaze with cold, indifferent eyes before turning his head away, completely ignoring her. Logically, Anna understood the situation, but the sheer emotional betrayal sliced through her heart like a physical blade.

"Welcome, Yona! Hahaha!"

Tragon approached, clapping Richard on the shoulder. Richard spoke, his voice dangerously low.

"What happened here?"

"Our capable intelligence agents pinpointed the Miracle Saintess’s location, and we succeeded in surrounding her with this massive army," Tragon boasted. Tragon spread his arms wide.

"To crush the famous ’Miracle’ and secure the sealed document... blessings are practically falling into my lap in my twilight years! The Dark Alliance has finally seized the momentum of this war!"

Richard remained silent.

"But on such a glorious day—a day worthy of a festival—you don’t look too pleased, Yona."

Tragon maintained his smile, but his eyes narrowed shrewdly. "You’re aware of the higher-ups’ concerns regarding you, aren’t you?"

"What are you trying to say?" Richard asked.

"I’m saying you should kill her."

Tragon pointed at Anna, who was still holding up her barrier. Richard’s pupils wavered slightly.

"Take the life of that ’Miracle’ and put the higher-ups’ concerns to rest. I am graciously yielding the merit of killing the Saintess to you."

Richard stared at him.

"Why? Don’t tell me you can’t do it?"

With a sharp metallic ring, Richard pulled his arm from his cloak and swung it outward, summoning the pure white Greatsword of Ruin into his grasp. Deafening cheers erupted from the surrounding troops, and Tragon smiled in deep satisfaction. Greatsword in hand, Richard took a heavy step forward, walking toward Anna.

Anna stood her ground, her barrier still glowing brightly. She watched him approach. Meeting his gaze, she gave a nearly imperceptible nod and squeezed her eyes shut.

Instantly, Richard felt the shift in her magic. ’The barrier’s defense has weakened.’ Having faced the Miracle Saintess on the battlefield countless times, he knew her magic intimately. Anna had deliberately reduced the divine power flowing into her shield.

If he swung the Greatsword of Ruin now, the barrier would shatter in a single strike. With the next, he could take her head. She was practically offering her neck to his blade. By maintaining the weakened barrier instead of lowering it completely, she was ensuring no one in the Alliance could question his loyalty.

It would look as though Richard had cut down the Saintess with his own overwhelming strength. Richard ground his teeth together. ’Is she really going to be this self-sacrificing right up to the moment she dies?’

"What’s wrong, Yona?"

Tragon’s impatient voice called out from behind. "We don’t have much time. The Miracle Saintess intends to stall for hours until the Holy Federation’s reinforcements arrive! Your sword can cleave through that barrier and end this quickly."

"You’re right," Richard said softly.

A sickening tear of flesh echoed through the valley as Tragon’s mouth fell open in mute shock.

"It will also shorten your lifespan," Richard whispered.

Before anyone could even blink, Richard had vanished from Anna’s side and reappeared right in front of the commander. Exactly as Tragon had done to Anna, Richard’s right arm was now plunged straight through Tragon’s chest.

Tragon choked out a gasp of agony. Fresh blood splattered from his mouth. His eyes shook violently in absolute disbelief. Expressionless, Richard wrenched his arm free.

"W-Why..." Tragon gasped.

With a heavy thud, Tragon collapsed face-first into the dirt. A pool of crimson blood rapidly spread beneath him, staining the earth. A heartbeat later, a horrified shriek shattered the silence.

"T-The Commander-in-Chief!"

"He was murdered by Legion Commander Yona!"

The battlefield instantly erupted into pandemonium. What in the world was going on? Panic swept through the ranks as necromancers and soldiers alike began to shout in confusion. In the midst of the chaos, Richard raised his greatsword high into the sky.

With an earth-shattering boom, he slammed the blade into the ground. The shockwave instantly silenced the entire valley.

"Did you think I wouldn’t notice you placing a curse on my item to lure out the Saintess?" Richard’s voice boomed. "I will not forgive anyone who dares to stab me in the back, even if they are my superior."

His cloak snapping in the wind, he turned and began walking toward Anna once more. "Pier," he commanded.

At Richard’s word, the bone armor peeled away from his body, reverting into Pier’s skeletal form and stepping back. Gripping the Greatsword of Ruin with his own two hands, Richard took a massive swing.

With a deafening crash, the divine barrier shattered like fragile glass. Anna staggered precariously, barely managing to stay on her feet. She couldn’t even attempt a counterattack; all her focus was locked on maintaining the divine magic keeping her ruined heart beating.

"Anna Cross."

Taking a final step, Richard stopped right in front of her. He looked down with a cold expression. "Why did you come?"

Anna offered a weak, strained smile. "Because you called me, Richard."

He stared at her. ’Even now. She’s a woman who is stupidly, hopelessly kind.’ Richard tightened his grip on his greatsword.

"I inflicted a fatal wound on you using a cowardly trick. This is a massive disgrace to the name and honor of Yona. You must stab me in return."

She shook her head. "I refuse. You weren’t the one who gave me this wound."

"Then break through those troops and return home."

"I refuse. I defied my orders to come here. I have nowhere left to return to."

"You refuse this, you refuse that. Then what exactly do you want to do?"

Anna simply answered with a soft smile. The moment he saw that sad, beautiful smile, Richard felt his heart tear in two. The agony was so intense he wanted to carve his own heart out just to make it stop.

"Yona! Kill the Miracle Saintess right now!"

A booming shout echoed from the Alliance ranks. It was Kin Moore, Richard’s peer and a fellow Legion Commander.

"Don’t say another word! Killing her is the only way for you to come back from this! I, of the Moore family, will take responsibility for the rest!"

"I’m begging you! Kill the Miracle Saintess!"

"Tear that woman to shreds and come back to us!"

"Kill her!"

"Kill her!"

The bloodthirsty chants echoed from all sides. Richard watched as Anna’s shoulders shrank back in fear.

"These bastards don’t even know their place, telling me what to do," Richard muttered. "What a load of bullshit."

He flashed a mischievous, reckless smile as he swept his gaze over the massive army. "I’ve been a rebel since birth. Tell me not to do something, and I want to do it. Tell me to do it, and I suddenly lose all interest."

"R-Richard?" Anna whispered.

Richard stepped closer, closing the distance between them. "I solemnly swear, from this moment on... for you, I will—"

His voice dropped to a low, fierce whisper as his firm arm wrapped securely around her waist. And then, he declared, "I will throw away everything I have."

He pulled her in and kissed her deeply.

Horrified screams and explosive roars erupted across the valley. Shrieks, shock, fury, hatred, and astonishment filled the air. Yet, in the dead center of that chaotic vortex, like the eye of a hurricane, it was infinitely quiet. It was entirely peaceful.

Anna, whose eyes had widened in shock, slowly fluttered them shut. Small tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. Relaxing her trembling body, she placed a hand against his chest and rose onto her tiptoes.

Their lips met roughly, parting and crashing together again. While tens of thousands of soldiers watched in absolute horror, the two of them simply held onto each other, passionately pouring out their hidden feelings. In the hundreds of years of bloody history between the Dark Alliance and the Holy Federation, nothing like this had ever happened.

’I am alive.’

Richard laughed against her lips like a madman. Connected through his telepathy, the Legion’s undead felt his soaring emotions and began to howl in frenzied excitement. ’To be exact, I am alive for her.’

Pulling back slightly, Anna offered a shy, breathless smile. "We’ll go down in history as the continent’s absolute worst Priest and Necromancer now, won’t we?"

"Let them spout whatever nonsense they want." Richard chuckled. "Even if I were reborn a hundred times, I’d make this exact same choice every single time. I will never regret this."

As if flipping off the entire world, he raised his middle finger to the sky before clenching his hand into a tight fist.

[7th Legion!]

It was Richard’s absolute command. At his booming telepathic shout, the Legion’s undead—who were already half-rampaging—reacted with terrifying violence.

Stepping forward to rally the panicked troops, Kin Moore shouted at the top of his lungs, "Everyone, pull yourselves together! Since the Commander-in-Chief is dead, I, Commander Kin Moore, will take command of the Alliance forces!"

"All forces, kill the Legion Commander and the Saintess right now!"

The massive Alliance army, numbering ten times that of the 7th Legion, surged forward. Seeing this, Richard smirked and issued his own command.

[From now on, I only have one order!]

Richard looked at Pier, his eyes practically soaked in madness. For a brief second, his fierce gaze wavered, but he quickly steadied it.

[Kuhuhu! Do not hesitate. The Legion is the ’will’ of the Legion Commander.]

Pier was smiling exactly like Richard. No, his grin was even more monstrous.

[The will you are about to unleash is the strongest I have ever seen! I do not regret serving you! Move the Legion now and make your will a reality!]

Richard squeezed his eyes shut, then snapped them open, his resolve absolute.

[7th Legion, open a path! Those who stand in our way—]

He opened his mouth and roared.

[In the name of the Legion, obliterate them without a trace!]

’ROOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOAR!’

Pitch-black smoke began to erupt from the bodies of every undead belonging to the Legion. It was the Legion Commander’s ultimate technique—the taboo of taboos. A forbidden skill that drove the undead into a frenzy of madness and pure chaos at the cost of the Legion’s contract.

’Legion Skill - Demonic Infection.’

The Legion of Betrayal bared its fangs.